A Hero's Heart
by Sapphic Peach
Summary: Two unlikely souls find they have something to gain from each other- but if only things were that simple. Loki/OC.


**A/N: This is a rewrite of a fanfiction I wrote years ago. Unavoidably it will diverge from its original counterpart, though believe me when I say that is by no means a bad thing. I hope you all can enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any marvel characters. I do, however, own Sophia and her whereabouts.**

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Despite nearly a year gone by since the passing of her father and disappearance of her brother, Sophia Fausse was a creature of habit. She tiptoed along the wooden floor in her socks at two in the morning as if there was someone who might be awoken by the movements. She'd moved nothing around since the loss and yet the house itself felt hollow; a skeleton of a structure without the warmth and nostalgia that was supposed to be within a childhood home. Instead, she felt like she was walking through a museum tour of couches and tables that had been lived on once but now held no life. The one benefit of such a time passage is that the feelings were easier to ignore, or so she told herself as she filled a glass with sink water and slid her back down along the wooden cabinets letting her bare legs make contact with the cold tile.

For a moment when she closed her eyes, she became intensely aware of how tired she was. How sleepless nights were adding up. And despite how heavy her limbs were with this knowledge, she knew the moment she attempted to crawl into bed she'd be faced with restless images.

"Up late again?" a silky voice spoke, cutting into Sophia's moment of relaxation.

Sophia cracked her eyes open, dimly aware of the trickster Loki's figure that was only illuminated by moonlight shining through the window above the sink. In the past few months, Loki had been the only thing that offered this place a little life- though she'd yet to decide if it was a pleasant one. It had been a snap decision to agree to give the man who'd led the destruction of New York a spot of hiding in her home. She was constantly aware that a decision with this level of stupidity could only wind up badly, but he'd agreed to help her with the search for Jean- her brother, the only family she had left if he was even still alive- and with the skills he had at hand she'd been in no position to refuse.

"Does 'again' require having slept at all in the first place?" she responded, scooting over on the floor and patting the newly created spot beside her, "Come sit- we can contemplate together."

There was a beat of hesitation- there always was- before Loki took a seat next to her. Crimes against society aside, the God offered company and made her forget about loneliness for awhile. Occasionally, she even thought on some basic level they were friends.

"Any luck out there today?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"Your brother is a hard man to find." he said slowly, she wondered if she was imagining the sympathy within his voice, "I know you don't want to hear it, but it's starting to seem your brother is either dead or has no intention of being found."

Sophia sighed, suddenly wishing the clear liquid in her cup was something with an alcohol content, "I've known as much for awhile." she said, "But I haven't decided which is worse."

"Perhaps he's in great mourning." Loki offered.

"He was with our father when-" she took a breath, soothing the defensiveness in her voice but she couldn't help the way it shook, "I did everything. I planned the funeral, I dropped out of college and moved back home just to look for him, I've sat through all the sympathy cards from relatives I've never even fucking met." She let out a long exhale, dropping her head in her hands.

"You miss them." Loki said softly.

"Everyday." she sighed out, pushing her hair back with her fingers, "They're my family. Don't you miss yours?"

"They certainly don't miss me." he said, his clenched jaw audible in his voice.

She lifted her head, looking over to him. She studied what little she could see of his face illuminated by the moon- blue eyes, sharp features, long dark locks falling messily around his face. "Do you wish you could take it back?" she asked seriously, "The mistakes, the events at New York…"

She watched as he bit his lip, something softening his face before he quickly and aggressively shook his head, "Never. If I could redo it- this time I would win."

Sophia frowned slightly before her lips curved back into a smile, "Well, sorry to say I'd be rooting against you on that one."

"You could join me if I did." he joked, "I could always use a minion."

"I think psychopaths work better alone." she teased right back.

For a moment the two laughed lightly, their heads tilted back and eyes crinkled. A small moment of feeling something other than the metaphorical dark cloud that hung around them. When it was lost, Sophia looked back at Loki. "Do you think this is still a good hiding spot for you?" she asked, "A small town in California- it's hiding in plain sight, right?"

Loki nodded, "Which is precisely why it continues to work. It in no way matches my patterns of fanciful lifestyle and busy living."

Sophia wasn't sure why, but the answer gave her a sort of relief. "And is tonight the night you tell me whatever compelled you to wind up here in the first place?" she asked.

"I'm not sure you'd like the answer."

"I'm not sure I would either."

A long beat of silence followed and Sophia pushed herself back up into a standing position. "I'll take that as a no." she said. "Coffee?"

"Yes, black." he answered, pulling himself up as well, "One day, when you're ready, we can get into the specifics."

"I'm hanging on the edge of my seat." she said, and though she kept her tone casual the question really had burned itself in the back of her brain since the God's first day. "Maybe you could offer a hint." she grabbed one of the mugs hanging on a rack beside the coffee maker, beginning to let the coffee pour.

"It has to do with you specifically." he said.

That Sophia hadn't been expecting, in her surprise, she shifted the coffee cup, hot coffee sloshing onto her hand. "Ow- shit!" she hissed, setting the mug down and letting cold sink water pour over the burn that had been left in the coffee's place.

"No need to be jumpy." Loki said, watching the water cascade in trails down her hand, "Are you alright?"

"Fine." Sophia said quickly, turning off the sink and wrapping a towel over her skin. "But- what? Why would it have to do with me?"

"Don't tell me you hadn't already guessed." Loki said, raising an eyebrow, "You're smart, for a mortal, it must have crossed your mind."

"That a God who destroyed half of New York would manage to escape trial and come looking for a girl in the middle of California intentionally?" Sophia questioned, "How on Earth would I come to that conclusion?"

"I could have hid anywhere, miles away from Midgard. I'm not particularly fond of mortals or your societies. I am only here because I have something to gain." he said. The words made Sophia flinch and the adjustment in his voice made her think he'd noticed, "Is that a problem? I am not the only one receiving something from this relationship, you wanted your brother found."

"So neither of us are getting what we wanted then." the words were sour in her mouth, but something about how casual he spoke of this made her blood boil.

"Sophia, my words were not meant to harm." he insisted, "But I told you that you would not like the answer-"

"Why me?" she cut off, now looking directly in his eyes, "What could I possibly have to offer you?"

Loki sighed, rubbing his face, "We aren't doing this right now."

"Then when are we doing this?" she asked.

"You owe me nothing until we've found your brother." Loki assured her.

"I owe you nothing at all." she said flatly, "You're already in my house. I thought I was simply offering you a safehouse."

"You _are_ the safehouse." he insisted.

"That makes no sense- you know what," she took a deep breath, "Fine. Alright. We don't do this now, I need coffee and painkillers."

A small smile played on Loki's lips, "What else is new?"

"You shut your goddamn mouth." she replied, but the air seemed to soothe between them, and she was willing to sacrifice her burning curiosity for a few moments of peace.


End file.
